Scottsdale police had nearly 400 officers at Phoenix Open. Were more needed to avoid chaos?
Scottsdale police deployed nearly 400 officers to the TPC Scottsdale golf course for the WM Phoenix Open on Feb. 10 when chaos erupted at the high-profile golf tournament.
Scottsdale police Sgt. Aaron Bolin told The Arizona Republic that the 2024 event "was staffed very similarly to every other year we have done it."
Bolin added that he didn't believe a different police staffing model would have changed the outcome of unruly fans at the event.
The event went off the rails when nearly 60 fans were arrested and more than 200 ejected as large crowds, mud and alcohol threatened to overwhelm the event. Thousands of attendees may have entered without a ticket. When inside, some fans' heckling disrupted golfers, and crowds were so rowdy that the tournament halted alcohol sales Saturday.
It's not yet clear why this year's Phoenix Open became so chaotic. Though known for its raucous 16th hole, the tournament week has gone relatively smoothly for nearly four decades. Theories range from the week's rainy weather, forcing fans to squeeze together in the few areas that weren't muddy, to overly large crowds, to too few security guards for the crowd size.
Scottsdale council members expressed concern and a desire to ensure the event runs smoothly next year. Some longtime fans and pro golfers said the rowdiness will keep them from returning next year.
The Thunderbirds, a local nonprofit, organizes the Phoenix Open, one of the largest sporting events in Arizona each year, which raises millions for charity.
George Thimsen, the event chairman for The Thunderbirds, said in an interview four days after the tournament that his team made the right crowd control decisions. He called the golf tourney, "a successful event and, I think, from a safety perspective, there wasn't a lot of major issues."
How many Scottsdale police officers were at the Phoenix Open?
During weekdays at the Phoenix Open, Scottsdale police had 88 officers staffing the event on Monday, Feb. 5; 130 on Tuesday, Feb. 6; 380 on Wednesday, Feb. 7; 406 on Thursday, Feb. 8; and 398 on Friday, Feb. 9, according to data provided by Scottsdale Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Allison Sempsis.
During a weekend that has raised questions about the event's safety and reputation, 399 Scottsdale police officers staffed the event on Saturday, Feb.10, and 201 on Sunday, Feb. 11.
These officers were assigned to both the grounds of the Phoenix Open and the Birds Nest each day, with four to five volunteer cadet officers joining toward the second half of the day, according to Sempsis.
"Our staffing plan for the WM Phoenix Open is based on historical data from previous years, and this year was similar to what was implemented in years past," said Sempsis when asked for information on previous years' staffing.
Scottsdale police arrested a total of 54 people at the event, with a total of 211 ejected from the premises, twice the amount thrown out during the past two tournaments.
Scottdale had about 680 police personnel working for the department in 2024, according to Sempsis.
What other police departments were at the Phoenix Open?
More than 100 police officers from different metro Phoenix cities assisted Scottsdale police throughout the event, with Tempe, Arizona Department of Public Safety and Chandler sending the most officers.
These officers joined Scottsdale's existing bicycle cops alongside special K9 and explosive detection units.
Phoenix police and Maricopa County Sheriff's Office only sent deputies and officers to the Phoenix Open's "Know Your Limit" event on Friday and Saturday, which reminded attendees of the effects of alcohol consumption.
Republic reporter Sam Kmack contributed to this article.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Scottsdale police had 400 officers at Phoenix Open when chaos erupted
